Temporary Suspension of Deployment of Filipino Domestic Workers to Saudi Arabia

Ruby Updated by Ruby

As of November 25, 2021, deployment of newly-hired Filipino domestic workers to Saudi Arabia is temporarily suspended as mandated by the Philippines Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)

This urgent move announced by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III was prompted by reports of labor abuse of Filipino Domestic workers involving a retired general in the kingdom.

Who are affected?

This suspension covers newly-hired workers only. They can be first-timers or experienced domestic workers who will be hired by new employers and entering a new contract.

Those who will renew their contracts with their existing employers are not affected so they can still process their documents with POEA and other relevant government agencies.

When will the suspension be lifted?

The suspension will remain effective pending the issuance of new guidelines and implementation by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

This is to avoid instances where employers can circumvent POLO's rules on verification by placing in the employment a pseudo Saudi Arabian employer when in reality, the employer is someone who has been previously blacklisted from hiring overseas domestic workers.

As a security measure, the new guidelines will require that the exact address of the employer's house in KSA will be stated in the employment contract which will be verified by POLO.

Can you still apply to Saudi Arabia despite the suspension?

We understand your eagerness to land a job in Saudi Arabia however the lifting of suspension will depend on DOLE and POEA. The good news is, there are employers in the website who are willing to wait for the perfect helper that will match their needs and are continuously looking!

So we encourage you to stay positive and continuously apply. While waiting, you can increase your chances of getting hired in the website by following these profile tips:

  1. Add a professional photo
  2. Verify your profile
  3. Create a compelling job ad by highlighting your experiences, skills, training and your positive qualities as a helper. Check out this article to learn more: What makes a great ad?
  4. Request a review and/or a reference letter from your previous employers.

Also, once you have successfully found an employer, you can speed up your visa processing by preparing and applying for some required documents and training. Here are a few:

  1. NBI Clearance 
  1. Passport
  1. Tesda NCII Domestic work training
  1. Transcript of Records/School Diploma

Lastly, skip the anxiety and make sure to get a “fit to work” clearance on your first try! Work on improving your health and prep yourself for your pre-employment medical examination. Here are some pointers on that:

Always remember that this move is the government's way of protecting OFWs from abuse or unethical working conditions in Saudi Arabia.

In case you haven’t found the answer you were looking for, feel free to talk to us by clicking the Contact button at the top of this page.

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